Why the Emperor should curry favour

Udit Sarkhel, widely respected as one of the leading Indian chefs in the world, strongly advises the Emperor of India to reverse its policy of discouraging Asian customers.

Mr Sarkhel, head chef of the famous Bombay Brasserie, said before he opened Sarkhel's Indian Cuisine restaurant in south London."If you can't satisfy Indian customers and offer them typical Indian hospitality, you can't really call yourself an Indian restaurant."

His views would be echoed by most Indian and Pakistani chefs in Britain.

An Indian restaurant partly filled with Indian customers was also a sign of good food. To turn them away did not make business sense.

Mr Sarkhel said: "Out of 30 tables, I like to have at least four to six tables of Indians. I take it as a great compliment if an Indian woman says, 'Tonight I'm not cooking. I am entrusting my guests to your care.' She sees the restaurant as an extension of her kitchen."

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Nor was it right to dismiss English diners as being ignorant about the finer aspects of Indian cuisine.

He added: "While an Indian tends to stick to his own mother cuisine, the English are increasingly willing to experiment with regional food."

Dismay at the attitude of the Emperor of India was also expressed by Vernon Menezes, whose welcoming attitude as the general manager to diners, Asian and non-Asian, at Zaika in High Street, Kensington, helped the establishment win a coveted Michelin star.

Mr Menezes, who has become a partner in Planter's in Tower Street, east London, advised Fozle Rabbi: "If your parents went into an Indian restaurant, just think how would they like to be served? Remember to serve Indian food with a good heart."